GRADES, REPORT CARDS, AND HOMEWORK

Student achievement and tracking student progress is one of the main purposes of grading and report cards. While students are in class for seven hours a day- it is important to understand how students are learning and where their time is going. The purpose of grading “is to communicate, to all stakeholders, student achievement toward specific standards at a certain point in time to inspire future achievement an impact change.” BASICALLY, grades are used to show where a student is in the curriculum and push the student to do better. Same as with the report card. Grades are important in order to see student growth- but what is the growth? How decided what students need to know and study? How did trigonometry or biology come into the need for students to learn? How did standardized test subjects come into play?

Homework can also be an essential way to boost student grades, participation, and growth. Homework provides practice for students outside of the classroom. In my opinion- homework should not be graded. Natural consequences will happen for students who do not do the practice and the lack of practice will show up on future assessments. The homework that is completed will receive feedback. It is silly to have students practice and then not do anything with the practice. Homework helps teachers see where a student is- if the homework is given out. If a school does not give out homework- building in practice time within the classroom will be essential to student growth.

Grades and homework should never be used to guilt or make students feel bad about their progress. They should be used to show where a student is at and motivate the student into meeting standards. They should also be used to track the gaps in student learning to help teachers fill the gaps.